Social workers blast family minister's 'deplorable' comments on care orders

The barrage of institutional bureaucracy that social workers face in their work calls for an overhaul of the current archaic systems stemming across departments whose mission is supposedly the best interest of children, Social Workers’ association says

Deplorable: The Maltese Association of Workers says the comments made by social policy minister Michael Farrugia (pictured) on the number of care orders issued were untrue
Deplorable: The Maltese Association of Workers says the comments made by social policy minister Michael Farrugia (pictured) on the number of care orders issued were untrue

The Maltese Association of Social Workers (MASW) has condemned as “deplorable” comments made by family minister Michael Farrugia who claimed that the sharp drop in care orders was due to fewer requests from professionals.

Farrugia’s comments to MaltaToday were made after the number of care orders being issued dropped by 60% in four years, despite referrals for children to be protected having increased.

“The MASW is not in agreement with reports quoting the minister insinuating that due to the lack of social workers interventions, care orders are not being issued. The reality of the child welfare system is a complex and sensitive one, and therefore such comments are deplorable,” it said.

In a statement, the social workers’ association insisted that they were not to blame for the drop in care orders being issued, and called for an urgent reform as their work is hampered by a lack of provision of services, as well as an archaic system with a “barrage of institutional bureaucracy”.

“The barrage of institutional bureaucracy that social workers face in their work calls for an overhaul of the current archaic systems stemming across departments whose mission is supposedly the best interest of children. Social workers are targeted for such negative scenarios and are expected to create ad hoc solutions to counteract for the lack of provision of services.”

“The safety and well being of the child is always the primary focus however very often social workers have to work within a framework where resources are seriously lacking; specifically lack of placements which can suitably meet the needs of children who are removed from their home. Access to alternative care including both specialised fostering services as well as residential services is very limited and scarce,” the MASW insisted.

Under Maltese law, care orders are issued following reports by professionals of children in need of care, protection or control. Following these recommendations, the minister responsible issues the care order and takes the child into his care.

Despite there being an increase in referrals of children there has been growing concern about the efficiency of the care order system after there was a 60% drop in care orders issued between 2011 and 2015.

Figures seen by this newspaper show that 127 care orders for children were issued in 2013. The number numbers fell sharply to 27 in 2014 and to 21 in 2015. From last January to the end of May, only four care orders were issued this year.

The increase in referrals does not necessarily correspond to an increase in care orders as not all referrals merit a care order. Conversely, care orders are recommended as a very last resort following a thorough assessment of the situation.

The issue of care orders came to light in court when a police inspector testified that Agenzija Appogg, the government’s social services agency, had claimed ministerial interference for refusing to issue a care order in the case of a seven-year-old allegedly forced by his father to have sex with prostitutes “to prevent him from growing up to be gay."

The claims were denied by minister Michael Farrugia, who criticised the police’s behaviour as not being up to par.

In May, Alfred Grixti, the CEO of the Social Welfare Foundation warned MPs at the family affairs committee that too few people are interested in taking up a job as a social worker, and that as a result of the shortage, the Foundation has had to engage social support workers in order to aid social workers.